


House of Black

by TheTimeKeepersScrewdriver



Series: Leo Black and Harry Potter Take On the Dark Lord [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fifth Hogwarts House, Hogwarts Era, Hogwarts House Sorting, I couldn't decide which house to put her in okay!, It doesn't effect the story much, OC, hopefully not a mary sue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:08:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 22,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26934853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheTimeKeepersScrewdriver/pseuds/TheTimeKeepersScrewdriver
Summary: Leo was excited for her first year at Hogwarts, even with the distraction of being age mates with Harry Potter. But when the Sorting Hat struggles to place her, will she be turned away? Solve this mystery and enjoy other adventures as Leo begins her wizarding journey.
Series: Leo Black and Harry Potter Take On the Dark Lord [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1965370





	1. My Letter Arrived

I always knew I had magic. The accidents as a child were proof enough, but the one time I got a hold of Remus's wand... I was in trouble forever, or at least it seemed so at the time. I had snuck into his room, at six years old, and found a wooden stick on the dresser. It was longer than my foot, and at one end it rounded out into an egg shape. I waved it like I had seen Remus do before, and the sheets on the rumpled bed turned a violent shade of purple. I waved it again and turned around to find Remus standing behind me, his hair a periwinkle, fading into plum at the roots. I giggled and my hair changed to match. A ripple of colour beginning at the roots and flowing down to the tip of my braid at my elbow. I could tell he was holding back a smile but scolded me regardless. "Leo Antlia Black, give that here. You know better than to touch someone else's things."

Yes, I was a Black. My father was Regulus Black, though I never knew him, and my mother was Vivienne Black nee Price. They were married young, and I was conceived right before my father's presumed death.

On how I ended up with Remus Lupin as my guardian, well that was a tale in and of itself.

My mother died in childbirth after my father had disappeared. I was given to my Uncle Sirius, who named Remus as my godfather. One year later Sirius was imprisoned for the murder of his friend, Peter Pettigrew, and several others, including muggles. So I was placed with Remus, with the understanding that every full moon I would spend with the one and only, Albus Dumbledore. Or 'Brr', as I called him as a child.

* * *

As my eleventh birthday approached, I was anxiously awaiting an owl at the window. "Ray?" I spoke to Remus through a mouthful of sausage. "What if I'm a squib? What if they forget my letter? What if-"

He held up a hand to interrupt me. "Don't speak with food in your mouth, and I'm sure it will be here soon. Your morphing is proof you're not a squib. Relax and be patient."

His comment about my morphing was in reference to me, being a metamorphmagus. That was much too big a mouthful as a child, so I had taken to calling myself a morph.

As he had finished speaking, almost as if it was waiting for him to complete the sentence, there was a tap at the window. I flew from my seat and let in the small brown owl. Tied to its leg was a letter.

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY**

**Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore**

**(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)**

**Dear Miss Black,**

**We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.**

**Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.**

**Yours sincerely,**

**Minerva McGonagall**

**Deputy Headmistress**

**There was a second page listing the books and equipment I would need.**

**First year students will require:**

**Uniform**

**Three sets of plain work robes (black)**

**One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear**

**One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)**

**One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)**

**Please note that all student's clothes should carry name tags at all times.**

**Books**

**The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1, by Miranda Goshawk**

**A History of Magic, by Bathilda Bagshot**

**Magical Theory, by Adalbert Waffling**

**A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, by Emeric Switch**

**One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, by Phyllida Spore**

**Magical Drafts and Potions, by Arsenius Jigger**

**Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, by Newt Scamander**

**The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection, by Quentin Trimble**

**Other Equipment**

**1 Wand**

**1 Cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)**

**1 Set of glass or crystal phials**

**1 Telescope**

**1 Set of brass scales**

**Students may also bring an Owl OR a Cat OR a Toad.**

**PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.**

I squealed loudly, turning with a grin on my face. "Remus, can we go get my things? Pleeeeease Ray?"

He grinned back. "Of course, I can pick up a few things I've needed for some potions."

* * *

It wasn't my first trip to Diagon Alley, but it seemed so much more thrilling now that we were getting my school things. Our first stop was Gringott's. The wizarding bank. I handed the goblin in charge of the Black vaults my key, and we set off down the roller coaster that was the transport system. I collected several handfuls of coins into a small bottomless pouch, and then we were back out in the sun. I was fitted for my robes next, and the Madame said to come back in an hour, they'd be ready then. Then I insisted we go to Ollivander's.

The wandmaker's shop was small, with thousands of narrow boxes lining every spare bit of space. The air practically tingled with magic, and I shivered. Glancing at the wand on display in the window. "Hello?" I called into the emptiness. A man appeared before me quite suddenly, his wide eyes glowing.

"Ah, Miss Black. Seems only yesterday your parents were in here. Your father, Hawthorne, ten inches, and swishy. Favored charm work. Whereas your mother, she was a wild card. Hornbeam, like my own, eight and three-quarter inches, but quite rigid. It was best in its use for defensive spells. As to what your wand will thrive in, that remains to be seen, does it not?" With a faintly amused smirk, he turned to the shelves. "Here." He thrust a wand into my hand but snatched it away just as quick. "No no no, not that one." A new wand was given to me, and I gave it a tentative wave. There was a tremendous crash as a wall of wand boxes fell to the floor.

Ollivander gave me several different wands to try, all resulting in disaster. In one of the brief pauses between wands, I held up my hand. "Mister Ollivander sir, could I try that one?" I pointed to the display wand.

"Well you're welcome to, but that wand has rejected many a witch and wizard for the last twenty years. It's a stubborn wand, that is."

"I still would like to try it," I confirmed. Remus watched me with a small smile as the old man took the wand from the window and brought it to me. The instant it touched my skin purple and copper sparks flew from the tip. Excited, I drew the wand into my hand fully. "Does that mean it chose me?" I could barely contain my squeal. He nodded.

"I guess you've been chosen. Congratulations. Redwood with a Thestral tendon core, the last of it's kind. Since the Thestrals refuse to work with us anymore, nine and a half inches, and quite supple. This wand will be very powerful, and you must take care to cherish it. The core makes it a rather needy wand, but if you prove worthy of its devotion, you will rise far above anything you can imagine. That will be eight Galleons."

Slightly stunned by the abrupt change of tone, I reached into my pouch and paid the man.

The rest of my shopping trip was uneventful. We picked up my books and other supplies, returning at the end for my robes. I chose a spotted wood owl as my pet, knowing I would need one to communicate with Remus, and named him Stripes. (Not very original I know, but I was _eleven_ , give me a break.) And soon enough September first had arrived. It was time to go to Hogwarts.


	2. The Hat is Never Wrong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hogwarts here we come! I'm excited to see where this idea takes me and excited for you all to read it. If it wasn't obvious, I own Leo and my plot, Rowling owns Harry and the rest.

We arrived twenty minutes before the train was scheduled to leave, and oh my, I was nervous. Remus laughed off most of my questions, telling me to wait and see. He helped me into a compartment in the middle of the train, heaving my trunk into the overhead rack. With a brief kiss on the forehead, he had to leave for work. I was sad to see him go but settled down in my seat to wait. The train had just pulled away from the platform when the door opened and a boy a few years older than me came in.

"Oh hello, you don't mind, do you? Great." He plopped down on the seat opposite me and reached into his bag. "I've got a tarantula." He whispered. "You aren't scared are you?" I merely shrugged. Before I could really answer the question the door opened again and two heads of orange spilled in.

"Come on Lee! Let's have it!" The first one said.

"Yeah, hurry up!" The other cheered.

"Well?!" I added, jumping in on their excitement. Both heads spun around to look at me as if they hadn't noticed me before.

"Who are _you?_ " One demanded.

"Fred, you're being rude!" The other nudged him in the ribs, starting a wrestling match. I merely giggled. The one named Fred seemed like an instigator. I glanced back and forth between them and found that Fred's eyes were slightly rounder, with a mischievous twinkle, while the other looked a bit more serious.

"I'm George, he's Fred. Oh and that's Lee. May I ask your name?"

I smiled brightly. I liked them, they seemed fun. "I'm Leo. And it's lovely to meet the three of you. May I ask, what year are you?"

"Oh, we're third years. I'm guessing you're a firstie? So's Ron, our younger brother." Fred answered.

"But he's far less interesting than us," George added.

And so began my first friendship at Hogwarts.

* * *

We spoke of many things that first ride to school. The houses and where I hoped to be placed, (although I thought all of them sounded fine), some of the students to watch out for, and Lee pulled out his tarantula. When the trolley came by I bought some chocolate frogs for me and insisted on buying the boys something. Soon we were arriving. The boys told me to leave my trunk and pointed me in the direction of a massive man. Who was hollering to catch the attention of the first years. He led us down a steep path, everyone muttering in the dark to each other, making the trek even spookier. It was so dark I decided the trail must be lined with trees.

Then the path opened up onto the edge of a great lake, black in the darkness. Perched on the mountain just across the water was a castle. Its windows glittering with light, and several massive towers darkening the stars behind it. Everyone let out impressed noises, before the large man hollered, "No more'n four to a boat!" And suddenly I was aware of a small fleet of boats at the edge of the lake. I climbed into a boat and was joined by two rather large children, and one small boy with pale blond hair. He seemed familiar, but in the dim light, I couldn't be sure.

"Head's down!" I heard shouted as we headed for the cliff face coated in thick ivy before us. We went down a dark tunnel that opened up into an underground harbor, where we all piled out onto some steps. The door before us was knocked upon, and we waited.

The door swung open, to reveal a tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes. Her face was stern as she skimmed over the faces, pausing when her eyes found mine.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall."

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." She replied, and I filed away the giant man's name for future reference. The professor pulled the door open further to reveal an entrance hall. So large I thought my house would fit inside. We could hear many voices from a doorway to our right. All blending with one another so no real words could be understood. The walls were lit with torches, and the ceiling so high it couldn't be seen in the dim lighting.

We were led into a small chamber just off the hall.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting. "

After warning us to wait quietly, she left.

"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" I heard one of the boys nearby ask.

"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he was joking."

"Oh, you must be Ron." I turned to the boys, one of whom had the same orange hair as the twins. "I'm Leo, I met the twins on the train. And you are?" I turned to the black-haired boy who had asked about the sorting.

"I'm Harry. Harry Potter."

There was a rustle of whispers at the revelation, but I kept my face clear of emotion.

"Nice to meet you, Harry, I'm Leo Black." I figure since he shared his surname I would too. There was another round of whispers, but the children were quickly distracted by a swarm of about twenty ghosts streaming through the wall. They seemed to be arguing when they noticed us.

"New students! About to be sorted I suppose?" A rather fat monk smiled at us.

"Yes, sir," I answered as the rest of the hall remained silent.

"Well, I hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house you know."

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."

Professor McGonagall had returned. She directed us to line up and follow her. We trailed behind her into the Great Hall. Many of the first years tripped on their own feet, distracted as they were by the ceiling. It was black as the night outside, but filled with stars. Just below that, thousands of candles floated on their own, lighting the large space. Four massive tables filed most of the floor space, each table with its own colors. The tables were filled with the older students, and I saw Fred and George wave from the red table. I waved back as Professor McGonagall placed a four-legged stool on the floor in front of the fifth table in the room, filled with staff.

On top of the stool, she placed an ancient-looking pointed hat, patched in several places. It was dirty and fraying, but all the students seemed focused on it.

I soon realized why as a rip near the brim opened wide, and the hat began to sing.

_"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, if you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folk use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap!"_

The hat bowed to each table as the room burst into applause, before dropping back to the stool, deadly still.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line. She put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause -

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. I saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

"Black, Leo!"

Again there was a murmur as my name was shouted through the hall. I stepped up and put the hat on, sitting down on the little stool.

 _"Hmm,"_ I heard a small voice in my ear. _"Difficult. I see plenty of courage here, and a thirst for knowledge. But also a strong loyalty to friends, and a desire to rise above. Where to put you..."_

I honestly didn't know where to place me either.

 _"Interesting. When they told me this day would come... I never thought a Black would be the one though... Alright then, there's no better place._ **BLACK!"**

I heard the last word shouted through the hall. There was a silence so dead you could hear a pin drop. I turned to Professor McGonagall, but she looked as shocked as I felt. There was a long awkward pause before a man stood up at the head table. His silver hair shone in the candlelight, and his beard disappeared behind the table. Albus Dumbledore.

"Miss Black, why don't you take a seat here, and after the rest of the students are sorted we will see what happened?"

I merely nodded, heartbroken. Was I _that bad_ of a person, that none of the houses were good for me? I vaguely heard the rest of the Sorting, only really paying attention when Harry and Ron were both sorted into Gryffindor.

Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are, Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

"Thank you!" He then turned to me and directed me through a small door to the left of the table.

* * *

We headed up a few flights of stairs with Professor McGonagall following. We paused briefly to tell a statue, "Licorice wands" before it jumped aside and revealed one last staircase. Leading to what I could only assume was the Headmaster's office.

Dumbledore reached to take the Sorting Hat from McGonagall, placing it down on his desk.

"Alright now, what's the meaning of this?" He asked the hat quietly.

The brim opened up again. "I was warned the day would come, by my creators, the Founders of Hogwarts itself-" The hat began.

"Yes, we know who made you, get on with it." McGonagall sounded impatient.

"When I was made, to sort all the little wizardlings, they warned me there would come a day when I would find a child. One who was suited to all houses. One who would fit everywhere, and nowhere. And when that day came, I was to create a fifth magical house. A house based on that child, who has turned out to be Black."

And with that the hat retreated into itself, refusing to answer any more questions.

"Well then," Dumbledore began. "I do believe this means we have a fifth house, which Miss Black here must design, and head. However, since she is still a first-year, I think, Professor McGonagall, that if she has questions or concerns, she ought to address them to you for the time being. I will see about setting up a new dormitory, my dear, do you have any preference as to where?"

He conjured a glowing mist map of the grounds. His eyes sparkle with amusement, but he refused to explain why, when I chose a corridor on the seventh floor. The entrance to be placed behind a tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach trolls the ballet. Then I was asked to choose two house colours, and an animal to represent my house. I chose royal purple and copper, with the bobcat as my animal. I thought it fitting later when I learned that the bobcat symbolizes independence. But it was all very confusing. I was asked many questions, but hurriedly. I was then told we were returning to the feast. Where the Headmaster would explain the situation to the rest of the students and staff.

* * *

When we returned to the Great Hall, McGonagall had gone ahead of us and arranged a fifth table to be brought in. All the students watched in interest as she and another Professor, Flitwick I would later learn, magically enhanced the inside of the room to accommodate. Dumbledore instructed me to sit there and enjoy the food, which had magically appeared as soon as the table was in place, while he returned to the head table. I could feel the whole school's eyes on me as I sat, taking some chicken and potatoes and eating quietly. I had made sure to sit facing the rest of the room, I'd rather see them staring than feel their eyes on my back. Fred caught my eye and raised his eyebrows questioningly. I shrugged and gestured to Dumbledore. He nodded and went back to eating as the dessert appeared.

At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.

"Ahem - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.

"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well. "

Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.

"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.

"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.

"I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death.

And finally, there is the matter of Miss Black's Sorting. It appears the founders of Hogwarts left a contingency plan, in the event a student was suited to all or none of the houses. In this case, all, Miss Black is now the founder of a fifth House."

There was an instant outbreak of chatter as questions were asked and comments spoken over each other. I was beginning to get tired of the gossip each time my name was spoken. The professor's all watched Dumbledore closely as he raised his hands for quiet.

"I am aware that this is new, and strange, and exciting news. However, please know that Miss Black is to be treated just as any other student. She cannot grant you leave from detentions or any special favors. After her graduation changes will be made, but until then, she is an ordinary student, just like you.

"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. I noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed.

Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.

"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"

And the school bellowed:

_"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something please,_

_Whether we be old and bald_

_Or young with scabby knees,_

_Our heads could do with filling_

_With some interesting stuff,_

_For now, they're bare and full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

_So teach us things worth knowing,_

_Bring back what we've forgot,_

_just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

_And learn until our brains all rot. "_

Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest. I snorted with laughter. It would be them.

"Ah, music," Dumbledore said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot! Miss Black, come here if you please."

I was given many searching looks, as the rest of the school headed in a swarm out the door to their dormitories. Dumbledore led me, as I had glanced at the map before, but had no real idea how to get to the seventh floor. We ended up following the Gryffindors for a while and ran into a poltergeist named Peeves. But eventually, they turned off one way, and Dumbledore and I the other.

* * *

We arrived at the tapestry that marked my new dorm, and Dumbledore turned to me.

"Now my dear, you must choose a password, so no one can get in unless you give them the password. Try to choose something you'll remember, but not to easy to guess."

I thought for a moment, before stating, "Thestral."

"Interesting. Can you see Thestrals my dear?"

"Yes, sir. Remus thinks it has to do with my mother."

"Fascinating. Well then, there are a few things we must discuss." He gestured to the tapestry, which had pulled aside to reveal a short hallway. I stepped inside to find a large room, with a sofa in front of a fireplace, and several chairs around a table that were clearly meant for homework. Everything was decorated in purple and copper. I forced my eyes away when Dumbledore sat in one of the chairs.

"I understand this is confusing for you, but some things must be discussed. Firstly there is the matter of your dormitory and dining table. You are welcome to sit with the other houses, as I understand it might be lonely eating alone, but as you are a fifth house, we must be prepared for future students to be sorted into the House of Black. Next year there may be others. The Sorting Hat saw something unique in you, but there must have been specific traits. There may be other children in later years with those traits. As such you have been built a full-sized dormitory, and the size of your table matches the others.

"The next item of discussion is your lessons. Since your house consists of you this term, you will take your lessons mingled with the other houses. You will receive a timetable in the morning at breakfast.

"Then there is the business side of things. The known direct descendants of the original founders receive a portion of the money made by the school in tuition. As a founder yourself, this now applies to you and your descendants. This money will be deposited monthly into your vault at Gringott's.

"You are a head of house, and that gives you certain privileges. A full list of the rules regarding these will be given with your time table. I would encourage you not to flaunt these privileges in front of the other students.

"Now, do you have any questions?"

I stared at a knot in the wooden table for a moment, thinking on all I had been told, before shaking my head.

"Very well. If you do think of any questions or concerns, please come to either Professor McGonagall or myself. We would be happy to help you in any way. I'll leave you to get some rest now, you have a big day ahead."


	3. Potions and Quidditch

When I woke up the next morning, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was not the main topic of conversation. Though I did get a few more stares as I passed some of the older students. I did, however, feel bad for poor Harry, who was. We hit the stairs to the Great Hall at about the same time, and I could hear the very unsubtle whispers follow us down.

"Don't listen to them, Harry. " I leaned over a nudged his arm. "I'm sure by lunch they'll have forgotten the whole thing."

He gave me a weak smile before heading to the Gryffindor table. Since my table was right next to his, I followed him.

I was greeted with a loud, "Black!" as the twins spotted me.

"Blimey, your own house!" George began.

"I knew you were too good for us average wizards, but how did you do it?" Fred continued.

"What did the old hat say?"

I glanced back and forth between the two of them, unsure if Fred was serious.

"Well, it said I had all the house traits equally. And that the founders said if that were to happen, that witch or wizard would start a fifth house."

Lee piped up from next to the twins. "Does that mean there may be more new houses later?"

I shrugged. "I don't think so, but I don't know for sure. That's a question for Dumbledore and the hat."

We spoke for a few more minutes before I turned to eat my breakfast. As I was munching on a sticky bun, I was approached by the blond boy I'd spied before.

"So you weren't worthy of any of the real houses, so they made a house for the rejects? Isn't that the Gryffindors?" He spoke before I had a chance to swallow my food.

It was then that I realized where I knew him from.

"Is that any way to talk to your second cousin, Draco? Honestly, I thought you'd remember me from Christmas last year, and if not my name's a dead giveaway."

In an attempt to get to know a few of my relatives, Remus had allowed me to spend my Christmas with my cousin Andromeda. She took me to a Christmas party held at the Malfoy's. Andromeda did keep in touch with her sister Narcissa.

"Right, you came with Dear Auntie. You're the Meta-"

I cut him off. "Yes. That was me. Did you need something Dee, or will you be on your way?" I snarked.

He merely scoffed and walked away, mulling over the fact that a cousin, worse, a Black, wasn't deemed to be Slytherin. As if they needed a reminder of her Uncle's disgrace.

* * *

Professor Snape ended up being the one to hand me my timetable, along with a separate sheet of paper. "Don't think I'll take it easy on you just because the hat couldn't make up its mind..." He warned before turning with what could almost be called a flounce.

Finding my classes proved to be harder than I thought. I took Potions with the Gryffindors and Slytherins, and Herbology with Slytherin and Ravenclaw on Mondays. My Transfiguration, Flying, and Defense Against the Dark Arts were with Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff on Tuesday and Thursday. Charms was with Gryffindor and Hufflepuff on Wednesday, and Astronomy I took alone on Friday.

The main problem wasn't that I had to find a different house every class period, but the castle itself. There were a hundred and forty-two staircases, some with trick steps, some that led somewhere different on Fridays. Then there were doorways that wouldn't open unless you asked politely or tickled them in exactly the right place (which frankly I found disturbing), and doors that were not really doors, merely walls pretending. And even the portraits were bad landmarks because they would wander off to visit neighboring portraits. The ghosts were known to be helpful, but woe be upon you if Peeves found you alone. He would pelt you with chalk dust, or pull rugs from beneath your feet.

Even worse than Peeves, if that was possible, was the caretaker, Argus Filch. Filch was an angry, bitter old man with a permanent sneer. He owned a cat called Mrs. Norris, who helped him patrol the halls, catching students in the act. Filch knew the secret passageways better than anyone save possibly the twins, and could pop up just as suddenly as the ghosts.

* * *

My first potions lesson turned out to be a bit disastrous, though not for me. It turns out Professor Snape hated poor Harry and took every excuse to mock him, even going so far as to take a point away for nothing. Eventually, he let it go and put us in pairs. He placed me with a Slytherin called Theodore Nott, and set us to work mixing a cure for boils. He swept around the room in his long black cloak, criticizing most of the students. I guess our potion was passable because we only received a grunt before he moved on.

He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Neville Longbottom, a Gryffindor, had somehow managed to melt his partner's cauldron into a twisted blob. Their potion was seeping across the stone floor, burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was standing on their stools while Neville, who got drenched in the potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.

"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.

"Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at the partner. Then he rounded on Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville.

"You - Potter - why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another point you've lost for Gryffindor. "

* * *

If I was angry about Potions, I completely forgot, as on my way up to lunch I was accosted by a flurry of orange.

"Hey, Kitty!"

"Hi, Kitty!"

It was the twins.

"Whatcha doing? Were you in Potions, or is your common room in the ickle basement?" Fred, I finally identified, asked.

"What's it to you where my common room is? You don't live there?" I asked roughly, though my eyes sparkled humorously. "Yes, I was in Potions."

"We thought so."

"You seem more the tower type. Are they moving you into the Divination tower?"

"No, George."

"Hey." George paused. "How come you can tell us apart after a week?"

I stopped walking to think. When did I start being able to tell? I shrugged.

"I dunno. I paid attention when you first introduced yourselves, and I notice a few differences. When you're both bouncing around like house elves on a sugar high it's harder."

They looked at each other and smirked.

"You're one of the first people who can tell." George began.

"Not even Mum knows if we switch jumpers." Fred continued.

"And that makes you special." They both spoke at once. I swear they had a hive mind or something.

"Well, see you around, Kitty." George started to turn.

I caught hold of both of their sleeves. "Wait! Why do you call me Kitty?"

Fred grinned. "Why you're a bobcat of course. Mighty animal of the Black House."

And with that, they were gone.

* * *

I had my first flying lesson, and I thought it went well. Seeings how it was Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, I wasn't expecting much trouble. The flying instructor, Madame Hooch, had short grey hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk. She lined us up next to the brooms, which were kind of old, and the twigs stood out at odd angles.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!'"

"UP" everyone shouted. My broom jumped straight up into my hand, but as I glanced around I saw I was the only one. I received ten points for it, though I knew it wouldn't matter. With all four of the other houses comprised of many students, there was no way I would get my hourglass of amethyst full enough to compete. I couldn't try for the Quidditch Cup either, seeing as I couldn't possibly play seven spots on the team at once.

Once everyone had their broom in their hand, we were instructed how to push off, and how to land. Then she let us fly in lazy circles around the pitch. It was quite fun, and I determined to see if Professor McGonagall would let me practice with one of the other houses.

Luckily for me, she agreed but told me I would have to owl order a broom. She loaned me a catalog, and I chose to order a few Christmas presents at the same time. The next morning when the post arrived, two long thin packages arrived. Each carried by six large screech owls. All eyes were on the parcels as they were dropped in front of me and Harry. I caught his eye across the tables, and smiled, realizing that he must have a broom as well. A letter came with the broom, stating that I was to be at the Quidditch pitch at seven that night, for a lesson with the Gryffindor Captain and his new seeker.

* * *

At six-thirty, I placed down the book I had been reading on Animagi and grabbed my broom. Knowing it would take a bit to get down from the seventh floor to the pitch. I hadn't been to the stadium before, but it was about what I expected. Hundreds of seats were raised in stands, making the viewers high enough to see. At both ends of the field, there were three gold hoops on poles, fifty feet high. Harry was there, flying in and out of the goalposts, but he was called to the ground by a boy I assumed was the Gryffindor Captain. He was carrying a large crate under his arm.

"Very nice," said Wood, his eyes glinting. "I see what McGonagall meant. . . you really are a natural. Hello, Miss Black. I'm just going to teach you both the rules this evening, then you'll be joining team practice three times a week. "

I nodded as he opened the crate. Inside were four different-sized balls.

"Right," said Wood. "Now, Quidditch is easy enough to understand, even if it's not too easy to play. There are seven players on each side. Three of them are called Chasers. "

"Three Chasers," Harry repeated, as Wood took out a bright red ball about the size of a soccer ball.

"This ball's called the Quaffle," said Wood. "The Chasers throw the Quaffle to each other and try and get it through one of the hoops to score a goal. Ten points every time the Quaffle goes through one of the hoops. Follow me?"

"The Chasers throw the Quaffle and put it through the hoops to score," Harry recited. "So - that's sort of like basketball on broomsticks with six hoops, isn't it?"

"Sort of." I wobbled my hand in the air.

"What's basketball?" said Wood curiously.

"Never mind," said Harry quickly.

"Now, there's another player on each side who's called the Keeper - I'm Keeper for Gryffindor. I have to fly around our hoops and stop the other team from scoring. "

"Three Chasers, one Keeper," said Harry, who was determined to remember it all.

"Like a football goalie," I added as an aside to Harry. Remus made sure I was kept educated on Muggle things. I needed to write him soon.

"And they play with the Quaffle. Okay, got that. So what are they for?" Harry pointed at the three balls left inside the box.

"I'll show you now," said Wood. "Take this. "

He handed Harry a small club, a bit like a short baseball bat.

"I'm going to show you what the Bludgers do," Wood said. "These two are the Bludgers. "

He showed us two identical balls, jet black and slightly smaller than the red Quaffle. I couldn't help but notice that they seemed to be straining to escape the straps holding them inside the box.

"Stand back," Wood warned us. He bent down and freed one of the Bludgers.

At once, the black ball rose high in the air and then pelted straight at Harry's face. Harry swung at it with the bat to stop it from breaking his nose and sent it zigzagging away into the air. It zoomed around their heads and then shot at Wood, who dived on top of it and managed to pin it to the ground.

"See?" Wood panted, forcing the struggling Bludger back into the crate and strapping it down safely. "The Bludgers rocket around, trying to knock players off their brooms. That's why you have two Beaters on each team - the Weasley twins are ours - it's their job to protect their side from the Bludgers and try and knock them toward the other team. So - think you've got all that?"

"Three Chasers try and score with the Quaffle; the Keeper guards the goalposts; the Beaters keep the Bludgers away from their team," Harry reeled off.

"Very good," said Wood.

"Er - have the Bludgers ever killed anyone?" Harry asked, hoping he sounded offhand.

"Never at Hogwarts. We've had a couple of broken jaws but nothing worse than that. Now, the last member of the team is the Seeker. That's you, Harry. Miss Black's gonna be trainin' all positions. And you don't have to worry about the Quaffle or the Bludgers-"

"- unless they crack my head open. " Harry sniped. I giggled but stayed focused.

"Don't worry, the Weasleys are more than a match for the Bludgers - I mean, they're like a pair of human Bludgers themselves. "

That made me laugh out loud. Wood gave me an odd look but then moved on. He reached into the crate and took out the fourth and last ball. Compared with the Quaffle and the Bludgers, it was tiny, about the size of a large walnut. It was bright gold and had little fluttering silver wings.

"This," said Wood, "is the Golden Snitch, and it's the most important ball of the lot. It's very hard to catch because it's so fast and difficult to see. It's the Seeker's job to catch it. You've got to weave in and out of the Chasers, Beaters, Bludgers, and Quaffle to get it before the other team's Seeker, because whichever Seeker catches the Snitch wins his team an extra hundred and fifty points, so they nearly always win. That's why Seekers get fouled so much. A game of Quidditch only ends when the Snitch is caught, so it can go on for ages - I think the record is three months, they had to keep bringing on substitutes so the players could get some sleep.

"Well, that's it, any questions?"

We both shook our heads. I had a decent grasp of how the game was played, but the refresher helped.

"We won't practice with the Snitch yet," said Wood, carefully shutting it back inside the crate, "it's too dark, we might lose it. Let's try you guys out with a few of these. "

He pulled a bag of ordinary golf balls out of his pocket and a few minutes later, we were up in the air, Wood throwing the golf balls as hard as he could in every direction for us to catch.

Harry didn't miss a single one, and I only missed one. Wood was delighted. After half an hour, night had really fallen and we couldn't carry on.

"That Quidditch Cup'll have our name on it this year," said Wood happily as we trudged back up to the castle. "I wouldn't be surprised if you turn out better than Charlie Weasley, Harry. And he could have played for England if he hadn't gone off chasing dragons. "

I tilted my head. I didn't know that. It was then agreed I would join their practices, and while Wood was working with Harry, I would train with the Chasers and Beaters.


	4. Troll is My New LEAST Favorite Smell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you guys think so far? Leave a comment! ;)

Halloween dawned with the smell of baking pumpkin, wafting is way through the halls. And even better, in Charms Professor Flitwick said we were ready to make things fly! He put us in pairs, pairing me with the Hufflepuff next to me, though I didn't pay her much notice. I could see Harry partnered with the Gryffindor who kept exploding things, he had better be careful. And Ron was seated with a rather bushy-haired girl, Hermione Granger. She was a bit of a Know-It-All, but she got good marks in class. None the less, Ron did not look thrilled.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books, as he was rather short. "Swish and flick, remember swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too - never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest. "

I never wanted that to happen, so I focused on my pronunciation. I was startled a bit when Harry's partner, Seamus was it? set fire to his feather, but my concentration was really disturbed by Ron shouting, "Wingar _di_ um Levio _sa_!"

I determined to ignore them as Hermione lecture him on the right way to say it.

"Win _gar_ dium Levi _o_ sa." I waved my wand in a slight curve, pointing it down at the feather at the end. My feather floated up into the air, and I directed it to tickle the Professor's nose.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Black has done it!"

Just afterward, Hermione's feather floated four feet off her desk.

"And Miss Granger! Ten points each to Black and Gryffindor."

* * *

Ron seemed to be in a bad mood.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," he said to Harry as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor, "she's a nightmare, honestly. "

Hermione knocked into Harry as she hurried past him in tears.

"I think she heard you. " He muttered.

"So?" said Ron, but he looked a bit uncomfortable. "She must've noticed she's got no friends. "

I marched right over and smacked him.

"Ron Weasley, you git! You are such a-" I cut off in my rage, turning to chase Hermione down. I found her sobbing in the girl's bathroom and tried to comfort her, but since we had basically no interaction up until now, she brushed it off and insisted I leave her alone. Still, I only left when I had to get to class.

* * *

That evening as I entered the Great Hall, I was in awe of the effort put forth in decorating. A thousand or more live bats swooped over the tables, snatching at shrieking girls hair, and a thousand more fluttered above, their many wing beats causing the candles to stutter. There were massive pumpkins carve with ghoulish faces, and of course, there were plenty of ghosts wandering around.

I was piling food onto my plate and waving at the Weasley twins when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, which was shocking in and of itself, but his face was filled with terror and his turban was askew as he gasped, "Troll- in the dungeons- thought you ought to know." And then he sank to the floor in a dead faint.

There was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.

"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

* * *

I stumbled out into the hall, remembering Hermione. Heading straight for the bathroom, I burst in the door just as Hermione was emerging from the stall.

"Really, I'm fi-"

"Sshhh!" I pulled her back into the stall. "There's a troll in the castle, we have to get up to the dorm quietly."

But it was too late. Hermione screamed as I pulled her out of the way of a club swing, the stench of the thing making my eyes water. We ducked over by the sinks, as Harry and Ron burst through the door.

"Confuse it!" Harry said desperately to Ron, and, seizing a tap, he threw it as hard as he could against the wall.

The troll stopped a few feet from us. It lumbered around, blinking stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw Harry. It hesitated, then made for him instead, lifting its club as it went.

"Oi, pea-brain!" yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he threw a metal pipe at it. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and paused again, turning its ugly snout toward Ron instead, giving Harry time to run around it. I drew my wand, and raised it, unsure what I could even do.

"Come on, run, run!" Harry yelled at Hermione, trying to pull her toward the door, but she couldn't move, she was still flat against the wall, her mouth open with terror.

The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It roared again and started toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to escape. I shouted at it to get its attention, and when it turned around, shouted, " _LUMOS_!"

It howled in pain as a brilliant white light shone from the tip of my wand. Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: He took a running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the troll's neck. The troll couldn't feel Harry hanging there, but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its nose, and Harry's wand had still been in his hand when he'd jumped - it had gone straight up one of the troll's nostrils.

Howling some more, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Harry clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip him off or catch him a terrible blow with the club.

Hermione was on the floor, and the troll flailed, knocking me across the bathroom into the wall.

Dazed, I watched Ron, pulling out his wand- not knowing what he was going to do he heard himself cry the first spell that came into his head: " _Wingardium Leviosa_!"

The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into the air, turned slowly over - and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.

Harry got to his feet. He was shaking and out of breath. Ron was standing there with his wand still raised, staring at what he had done.

It was Hermione who spoke first.

"Is it - dead?"

"I don't think so," said Harry, I think it's just been knocked out. "

He bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like lumpy gray glue.

"Urgh - troll boogers. "

He wiped it on the troll's trousers, then turned to me. A sudden slamming interrupted whatever he was going to say, as we turned to the footsteps echoing towards us.

It made sense someone heard the shouting and crashing, we weren't exactly quiet. Professor McGonagall came bursting through the door, followed closely by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell took one look at the troll and whimpered, seating himself on a toilet as he clutched his heart.

Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at the boys, with an anger I had never seen on the woman. Her lips were pursed so much they were white.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" She demanded. "You were lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

"Please, Professor McGonagall- they were looking for me," Hermione spoke up, and the adults seemed to notice we were there.

"Miss Granger!"

"I went looking for the troll because I - I thought I could deal with it on my own - you know because I've read all about them. Leo found me first.

"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Harry stuck his wand up its nose, Leo stunned it with Lumos, and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived. "

Harry and Ron were busy trying to look as if this tale were true, while I was confused. Hermione was lying to a teacher? I must have hit my head harder than I thought.

"Well - in that case. . . " said Professor McGonagall, staring at the four of us, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?

"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses. "

Hermione left.

Professor McGonagall turned to Harry and Ron.

"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go. "

They hurried out of the chamber and didn't speak at all. And then she turned to me.

"Miss Black, what really happened?"

So she hadn't believed Hermione after all. I gave a brief explanation as I tried to rise from the floor, but fell back with a cry. My ankle was swollen twice its normal size, my head throbbed something awful, and I think I broke my wrist. Realizing I was hurt, McGonagall sent Quirrell to fetch a stretcher. He darted down the corridor so fast it was like he hadn't been there at all.

* * *

So I spent my first Halloween feast in the Hospital Wing. Dumbledore stopped in to check on me and brought me my wand, which I had lost when I flew across the bathroom. It wasn't awful, with the pain potions combined with the fact that Dumbledore looked the other way when the twins snuck in with food.

"Blimey, you fought a troll!" Fred enthused as he handed me a plate covered in goodies.

"Yes, though I hope not to repeat the experience." I blushed.

"Aww, is Kitty embarrassed?" George teased.

"I was honestly terrified."

The boys settled on either side of me on the skinny hospital bed, each of them with an arm around me. For comfort or to keep from sliding off, I wasn't sure.

"Kitty, we won't let anything like it near you again." Fred's eyes held an uncharacteristic seriousness. George nodded and brought his other arm around me, careful of the sling my wrist had been placed in.

"Count us as your new bodyguards."

From then on I spent a lot more time with the twins, a bond formed in the dark on Halloween.


	5. Secret TUNNEL, SECRET Tunnel

As November began, the air turned very cold. The mountains around the castle became icy grey, and the lake was like chilled steel. Frost covered the ground each morning. From out my window, I could see Hagrid, defrosting the school brooms. But more important to the rest of the school, Quidditch season was beginning. Saturday was the first match, between Gryffindor and Slytherin.

Wood had been keeping Harry's practices secret, and coincidentally, mine. But the news of Gryffindors new seeker got out anyway, and I had to fight the urge to punch people telling poor Harry they'd be out with a mattress in case he fell.

I made sure, to remind Wood that Harry _did_ have school work and that he should eat once in a while.

It turns out there are seven hundred ways to commit a foul, and all of them happened during a World Cup match in 1473. I was excited to watch a real game and not just the practice. Turned out I was a decent Beater and Seeker, my Keeping was not good, but I was an amazing Chaser. (If I do say so myself) The twins claimed to be happy I wasn't after their jobs.

By eleven o'clock the whole school was out in the stands, save the teams players of course. I joined Gryffindor in the locker rooms as they put on scarlet Quidditch robes. Wood cleared his throat for silence.

"Okay, men," he said.

"And women," said Chaser Angelina Johnson.

" _And women_ ," Wood agreed. "This is it. "

"The big one," said Fred Weasley.

"The one we've all been waiting for," said George.

"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred told Harry and me, "we were on the team last year. "

"Shut up, you two," said Wood. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had in years. We're going to win. I know it. "

He glared at them all as if to say, "Or else. "

"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you. "

I gave each of the twins a hug, and Harry a comforting squeeze on the shoulder.

"You've got this in the bag."

* * *

Madam Hooch was the referee. She stood in the middle of the field, waiting on the teams as I headed towards the nearest stand, full of Hufflepuffs.

"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, once they were all gathered around her. I couldn't help but notice the look she gave Slytherin Captain, Marcus Flint, a sneering sixth year with crooked teeth. A banner fluttered in the breeze across the field from my seat, flashing, _Potter for President._ That must have been Hermione's work, as the Wizard world didn't have a President necessarily.

"Mount your brooms, please. "

Harry clambered onto his Nimbus Two Thousand.

Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle.

Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off.

"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor - what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too-"

Lee Jordan seemed to be the commentator for the match, making me giggle.

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor. "

It appears McGonagall was supervising.

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve - back to Johnson and - no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes - Flint flying like an eagle up there - he's going to sc - no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle - that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and - OUCH - that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger - Quaffle taken by the Slytherins - that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second Bludger - sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which - nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes - she's really flying - dodges a speeding Bludger - the goal posts are ahead - come on, now, Angelina - Keeper Bletchley dives - misses - GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

The Gryffindors cheered, along with a smattering of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaws, as the Slytherins booed.

I watched Harry pull a loop-the-loop in excitement, but quickly returned to his job of watching for the snitch. Wood had decided that was the best place for him, hovering High above the field. A bludger had come pelting his way once but was hit away with an, "alright there, Harry?" from Fred as he beat the bludger towards Marcus Flint.

"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the - wait a moment - was that the Snitch?"

A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his left ear.

I knew Harry saw it, but so had the Slytherin Seeker, Terence Higgs. Harry was faster though, and was rapidly gaining on the snitch-

WHAM! Marcus Flint slammed in front of Harry, knocking his broom off course.

"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors.

Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goalposts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.

Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides.

"So - after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating-"

"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul. . . "

"Jordan, I'm warning you-"

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinner, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession. "

It was as Harry dodged another Bludger, which went spinning dangerously past his head, that it happened. His broom gave a sudden, frightening lurch. For a split second, he thought he was going to fall. He gripped the broom tightly with both his hands and knees.

And then it happened again. It was like the broom was trying to buck him off. He didn't seem to have any control of his broom. I turned to holler for a time out, but no one seemed to hear me.

Lee was still commentating.

"Slytherin in possession - Flint with the Quaffle - passes Spinnet - passes Bell - hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose - only joking, Professor - Slytherins score - A no. . . "

People were beginning to realize something was up with Harry's broom. His broom began rolling, over and over, him just barely hanging on. Then the broom gave a wild jerk, finally unseating Harry, as he dangled by one hand.

I sighed in relief as the Weasley twins began hovering beneath him, momentarily abandoning the game. George was trying to pull Harry onto his broom, but every time he reached out the broom would buck away. Realizing this, they dropped just below him, obviously hoping to catch him if he fell. Marcus Flint took the opportunity to sneak in several goals, which seemed like a foul to me, but...

There was a disturbance in the teacher's stands, and Harry's broom ceased bucking. With a cheer from the Gryffindors, he was able to remount his broom midair. Strangely, he immediately began speeding for the ground, halfway down he clapped a hand over his mouth as if sick. He hit the field on all fours- coughed- and something fell into his hand.

"I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving it above his head, and the game ended in complete confusion.

* * *

"He didn't catch it, he nearly swallowed it," Flint was still howling twenty minutes later, but it made no difference - Harry hadn't broken any rules and Lee Jordan was still happily shouting the results - Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty.

I had followed the team back into the locker room, enjoying the gleeful atmosphere. I was forced into a hug by two sweaty Weasleys.

"Here's our good luck charm!" George announced.

"I had nothing to do with it, that was your sheer talent. I've always believe in you two, and I always will," I argued.

"Thanks, Kitty," Fred said sincerely. "We believe in you too."

I merely pulled the goofballs in for another hug before declaring they stank, and shoved them at the showers. They headed off laughing, but only after making me promise to meet them in the Entrance hall.

* * *

I ran upstairs to my dorm, changing into something not covered in Weasley sweat, the disgusting dorks. I threw on a dark maroon shirt, and some loose jeans, splattered in paint from one of my late-night projects (I was having strange dreams you see, and thought painting them out might help me make sense of them), along with my beat-up converse and a light jacket Remus had charmed to be forever the perfect temperature. Then I grabbed my messenger bag with some parchment, and a quill and ink. I wasn't sure what the twins had planned, but I figured I should be prepared.

When I arrived downstairs, the twins were just bouncing in, snickering.

"And what were you two just up to?" I asked.

Fred waved me off. "Plausible deniability, Kitty. You ready?"

"For what?"

"An adventure," George said with a mysterious smirk.

Curious, I allowed myself to be led through the corridors, until we arrived at a statue. Glancing around to be sure no one else was in the area, Fred gave it a password, and it slid aside, revealing a small, dark passageway. I didn't have time to warn them I didn't do dark, before Fred went in first, grabbing my hand to pull me behind him into the dark, and I reached back and grabbed George's hand. I caught his surprised look before the statue slid back into place, leaving us in _total_ darkness.

I shivered, and pulled both boys closer, wrapping my arms around George and hiding my face in his shirt.

"Can we please have light?" I whimpered.

Since I had pinned George's arms down, Fred pulled out his wand, and with a quick _Lumos,_ we could see again.

"Kitty?" George spoke softly. "What's wrong?"

I shuddered, and Fred began stroking my hair.

"I- I don't do the dark very well." I managed to get out, holding back tears. "I- I went once- I just wanted to see him. I went to see my Uncle. He- He's in Azkaban." And with that I couldn't hold back anymore, tears spilling down my cheeks. "It was awful! I was- so- so cold, and it was so dark. I couldn't think. Ray- Remus told me I shouldn't go, but I just had to, I had to see him. But then I blacked out, and I woke up in St. Mungo's. Remus doesn't like it there, so it had to have been bad."

Fred continued to stroke my hair as George freed his arms and held me close. I didn't dare look at them, not when they knew now what a wimp I was.

"How- how old were you?" Fred wondered.

"I was seven. I lived with my Uncle until I was a year old and then was sent to Remus when he was incarcerated. I had vague memories, and wanted to properly meet him since I was old enough to understand."

The boys murmured their understanding, and George pulled back enough to wipe the tears from my face. "We are here, Leo."

I looked up at the use of my real name.

"And we won't leave you alone. We know Azkaban is an awful place, and it was _so_ brave of you to go there on your own. If you want, we can just go to the kitchens and have a snack, we don't have to do what we'd planned. We wanted to take you to Hogsmeade a little early is all, but we won't do anything that makes you uncomfortable."

I nodded, grateful to them both. "Could we go later? I would love to go, but right now I don't think I can make it through the tunnel. My hearts racing and my knees are wobbly already."

Fred nodded, glanced at George, and swooped me up into his arms. I let out a faint squeak but settled my arms around his neck as he held me and his wand. George went to check the coast was clear to open the tunnel again, and I scrubbed the tears from my face. I was honestly exhausted. Crying will do that to you.

And so Fred carried me, while George cleared the hallway of any gawkers, and we made our way to the kitchens. There was a painting of a bowl of fruit, and he tickled the pear, which let out a soft giggle and turned into a doorknob. Once inside, I saw dozens of house elves running around. One made her way over to us, her pillowcase dress bunched in her hands, and asked in a squeaky voice, "What can Tippy do for Missers Weasley and their friend?"

Fred instructed Tippy we needed hot chocolate and some brownies, which she quickly fetched, and the rest of the night was passed talking. The boys retelling some of their better pranks, and I told them of the few muggle pranks I knew. At some point, the warm atmosphere and a full belly lulled me to sleep. I woke up the next morning in the Gryffindor dorms, wedge solidly between two heads of orange hair.


	6. Christmas at Hogwarts

Christmas was coming, and with it the realization I still had presents to buy. Mainly Hermione's, and I wanted to get something for McGonagall. It was with that in mind that I approached the twins.

"I'm ready to try the tunnel."

Both boys turned sharply to me. "Are you sure?" George kept his face expressionless.

"Yes. I need to get a few Christmas presents, and I can't get them otherwise." I nodded my head sharply. I needed to do this. I had brought the pouch connected to my vault at Gringott's and seeing the determination in my face, the twins agreed.

We bundled up in our warmest gear, and I couldn't help but notice the twin's gloves were paper-thin and had several holes in them. Thinking about it, Ron's gloves weren't doing so well either. I decided to think about that a bit later, and focused on beating back the fear as the tunnel opened before me.

Again, Fred went in first, George behind me, and I held tightly to both of their hands. If they noticed me shaking, they didn't comment, and both cast a Lumos as soon as the door closed behind us.

It turned out not to be as bad as I thought, though I still wasn't looking forward to the return trip, as the twins kept up a steady stream of chatter, even going so far as to plan out a prank for Draco. Apparently, he and Harry weren't getting on well, no surprise there.

The tunnel ended at a trapdoor, and I had to fight giggles as Fred lifted it a crack to check for people. Apparently, the shop owners in Hogsmeade didn't much care if you snuck out of school as long as you bought things, but the tunnel let out in the storeroom of Honeyduke's candy shop, and he wouldn't have been happy to find us in there. We managed to sneak out past the counter, and I caught my breath.

The place was full to the ceiling with every type of wizard candy available. Chocolate frogs, licorice wands, sugar quills... I had to fight myself not to buy one of everything. I did get a small selection though to stash away for a rainy day and bought a few things for the three of us to eat as we walked. I stopped in the book store first, getting Hermione a book on transfiguration she had been complaining the library didn't have.

I could tell Fred was getting bored, but George kept smiling encouragingly as I skimmed the titles, looking for a few on Animagi. I was fascinated by the idea and wanted to try it, but I didn't really want to register. Finally deciding I was done, I heard a smothered sigh of relief as I bought my things. Next, we went to the Quidditch store, and Fred perked up considerably. I bought a few broom care items I was out of but waited patiently for the twins to be done browsing. I knew the store they were looking forward to the most, Zonko's joke shop. But I had a few other places to visit first.

The town was surprisingly quiet, grey clouds covered the sky, and footsteps crunched into fallen leaves. I tried to memorize the feeling, hanging out with my two best friends, and the contentment of buying gifts for my friends. I bought Professor McGonagall a snitch that was charmed to run errands for her, then decided on buying gifts for my other professors. Snape got Never-Break potion vials, Flitwick a royal blue quill and ink set, and Sinistra a small projector that showed the night sky, adjusting with the season to be accurate. Madame Hooch got a broom care kit, Sprout some Ever-Sharp pruning shears, and Quirrell... Well, let's say he had a better way to carry the garlic he'd been stuffing in his turban.

I made the potions store clerk give me a funny look when I bought some mandrake leaves, but I threw in some other ingredients to seem less suspicious.

What really threw the twins for a loop was my insistence we stop at the craft store. It was a tiny building, more of a hut really, and when I ducked inside I despaired of finding what I needed. But in the back, on one lonely shelf, was a few rolls of yarn and a small basket of various size knitting needles.

"What do you need those for?" Fred asked, watching me grab the smallest set of double points.

"None of your business." I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Come on, you can trust us." George cajoled, but I kept my face blank as I grabbed some blue, purple, and mint yarn. I managed to distract them by saying I had what I needed and we could go to Zonko's now.

As we were leaving the joke shop to head home, I glanced at the darkening skies.

"Do you think it might snow?"

"Oh, we hope so." The twins spoke at once. And I was so distracted by their plans for a snowball fight, I didn't even notice the darkness of the tunnel home.

* * *

I was right about the snow, and the boys landed themselves in detention for bewitching snowballs to pelt the back of Quirrell's head. I was afraid they would knock his turban loose, sending garlic cloves everywhere. The few owls that were out before the snow, came back wet and bedraggled and had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid.

While the common rooms and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the rest of the drafty castle was quite cold. Down in the dungeons was the worst, for the whole of potions I hovered over my cauldron, hoping to leech some of its warmth.

I couldn't wait for the Holidays. I was being allowed two days away from the castle early, as the full moon would be the twenty-first so that I could have Christmas with Remus. The twins thought this was awfully unfair, as I refused to tell them why I got to skip class for two days but were mollified when I said I'd be at Hogwarts for Christmas. They were staying as well, as their parents and younger sister were going to Romania to visit one of their elder sons, Charlie.

The week before Christmas, I went up to Dumbledore's office. He greeted me with a smile and offered me a bag of floo powder. I took a small amount, threw it into the fire, and announced, "Lupin Lodge!" and was whisked away. I made sure to keep my mouth clamped tight, I didn't need a mouthful of ashes, and stepped out of the fireplace, into Remus's arms.

To say he was thrilled to see me was an understatement, and he asked many questions about how school was going, had I been bullied for being alone in my house, and if I had made any friends.

"I love potions actually, and I feel I would love the DADA if someone besides Quirrell were teaching. Meaning no disrespect, he's much too skittish.

"I haven't been bullied, no. In fact, I think unless I'm getting points, people mostly forget I'm in my own house.

"And I have made friends, several in fact. There's Hermione Granger, Harry Potter-"

"Harry? How is he doing? Do you two..." Remus trailed off, looking as though he wanted to ask a question but thought better of it.

"Harry is doing well, yes. I suppose you would know about him. He made Gryffindor seeker, and they won their first game against Slytherin. Fred says it was all him and George, but we both know that's not completely true."

"And who are Fred and George?" Remus asked with a tilt of his head.

"They're my best friends. They're twins, Weasley's, and I'm also friends with their younger brother Ron, he's in my year. The twins are third years and have built a reputation as the school Pranksters Extraordinaire. Why just last week they turned the Slytherin prefects robes bright red, they're in Gryffindor you see..."

Remus listened to me ramble about the twin's exploits, smiling faintly as he remembered another group of Gryffindors, Pranksters Extraordinaire. His trip down memory lane was interrupted, however, as I admitted, "They know about my trip to see Uncle Sirius."

"Do they?" He knew I wouldn't talk about that with just anyone.

"Yeah. They found a secret tunnel to Hogsmeade and wanted to take me there, but it was dark, and I freaked out." I wasn't concerned to tell him we were sneaking out, I knew I wouldn't get in trouble for curiosity about a tunnel.

"Oh? Was it the one behind the One-Eyed Witch?"

I looked at him, briefly shocked, before remembering he went to the school himself.

"Are there any other secret tunnels you know of?"

He gave me a smirk and proceeded to tell me many secrets.

* * *

I hugged Remus goodbye sadly as our time together came to an end. He had given me a lovely book on defensive spell creation, and I had given him a new coat, spelled to always be the perfect temperature. I stepped into the fireplace, shouted "Headmasters Office at Hogwarts!" and flooed back to the school. I was surprised to stumble out of the fireplace, into the twin's arms.

"What are you two doing up here?" I asked.

"We knew you'd be sad about leaving your guardian, so we thought we'd cheer you up." Fred bounced on his toes, completely ignoring Dumbledore's amused smile from behind him. I turned to the Headmaster, and thanked him again for my few days home, then was ushered out and down the hall, George's hand at my back.

Once most of the school had left for the holidays, the place seemed very empty. I was sitting in the Great Hall, eating a small breakfast, and reading my book on Animagi when the twins appeared on either side of me. "Whatcha reading?" Fred asked, already picking up the book.

"It's on becoming an Animagus. I want to do it, but I don't really want to register." I whispered.

I gave them a brief description of the ability and its uses, and they seemed very interested. So interested in fact, they demanded I help them do it themselves. First, there was a charm to determine what our form was, and we had to hold a mandrake leaf under our tongue for a month, from one full moon to the next. Luckily, mandrake had next to no flavor, and it was easy enough to hide a leaf under the tongue. Then, using the leaf for the creation of a potion, reciting an incantation (Amato Animo Animato Animagus) on a daily basis, and drinking the Animagus potion during a lightning storm.

I wasn't sure how we could be sure of a lightning storm at the end of the month, but the boys assured me they knew a way. All that was left was to find a hidden and secure place to perform the charm. The twins offered to choose a spot, but I had something hidden up my sleeve.

* * *

The stunned looks on George and Fred's faces as I paced before my dorm entrance were brilliant. A door formed, and I dragged their still gaping forms into the Room of Requirement. I found the room had built me a decent sized chamber, with a roaring fireplace at one end, and three comfy chairs.

"How is this place not on-" George began but cut off at a look from Fred.

I smiled, I had a guess as to what he meant, since my visit with Remus for Christmas. "It's not on the Marauder's Map, because the creator's hadn't yet discovered it when the map was made. I thought you two might have it."

If they had been stunned before, the faces she was receiving now were frozen.

"You- you know?"

"You know!?"

I grinned. "You boys will be delighted to know that I happen to know very well it's creators. Well two of them. The other's I evidently met as a baby, but I don't remember much."

"WHO!?" They both demanded at once.

I merely smirked. "I know Moony and Padfoot, Prongs and Wormtail are both dead now. They died in the last days of the war."

I refused to reveal their real names, and eventually, the twins realized I wasn't budging. Finally, the three of us sat down in the chairs and cast the charm. When we all came out of the spell, I matched the gleeful looks on the boy's faces with one of my own.

"I'm a Coyote!" George enthused.

"I'm a Hyena!" Fred replied.

Both of them turned to me. "What are you?"

"I believe, I am a Bobcat." My grin Cheshire at the irony.

They dog-piled on me, passing around congratulations. And then we settled in to wait two more days until the full moon.

* * *

I spent most of my holiday break with the Gryffindors, and I snuck in Christmas Eve to have a sleepover in the twin's room. Obviously, the house elves knew where I was, as there was an extra pile of presents at the foot of George's bed where I had ended up falling asleep late into the night.

Jerking out of the bed, I dragged the twins up with me. I watched with eager eyes as they opened their presents from me. I had given each of them a broom care kit, waterproof goggles, and a snitch like the one I bought for McGonagall, that was charmed to perform instructed tasks. Both were thrilled by the gifts, but the gift they seemed most excited about was the last one they unwrapped. Each of the twins were holding a hand-knitted pair of gloves. Fred's were mint coloured, George's were purple. It was obvious they recognized the yarn from our trip into Hogsmeade.

"You made us gloves?" George gasped.

"Yes, Ron too." I shyly ducked my head, but before I could think, I was tackled into a hug by both boys.

"Thank you," Fred whispered in my ear. I nodded, overwhelmed by the gratitude they displayed.

Then the moment was over and they were thrusting their gift into my lap. I ripped through the paper, to find a charm bracelet, with two copper charms on it, a bobcat, and a lion. It was my turn to whisper my thanks as I hugged them both to me. I had never felt more grateful for true friendship. They were my boys, and I hoped they knew that.

The rest of the morning passed in a flurry of torn paper. I received a sweater and some fudge from Mrs. Weasley, in a lovely blue that matched the twins, with a large letter L in the center of the chest. Then we decided to check on the others.

* * *

"Merry Christmas!"

"Hey, look - Harry's got a Weasley sweater, too!"

The twins announced as we burst into the first-year boy's dorm.

"Harry's is better than ours, though," said Fred, holding up Harry's sweater. "So's Leo's. She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family. "

"Why aren't you wearing yours, Ron?" George demanded. "Come on, get it on, they're lovely and warm. "

"I hate maroon," Ron moaned halfheartedly as he pulled it over his head.

"You haven't got a letter on yours," George observed. "I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid - we know we're called Gred and Forge."

I giggled as Percy Weasley, one of the twins older brothers poked his head in the door, with a disapproving look on his face.

"What's all this noise?"

He had clearly gotten halfway through unwrapping his presents as he, too, carried a lumpy sweater over his arm, which Fred seized.

"P for prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours, even Harry and Leo got one. "

"I - don't - want - " said Percy thickly, as the twins forced the sweater over his head, knocking his glasses askew.

"And you're not sitting with the prefects today, either," said George. "Christmas is a time for family. "

They frog-marched Percy from the room, his arms pinned to his side by his sweater. I giggled and turned to the remaining occupants of the room. "Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas, Leo. Thanks for the gloves, I was needing new ones." Ron held up the blue gloves I knitted.

"Yeah, thanks for the broom kit!" Harry added.

I nodded, thanking them for the pile of candy the two had bought me. It would further my stash until I next snuck to Hogsmeade.

* * *

Christmas dinner was fantastic. Roast turkeys; mountains of roast and boiled potatoes; tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce - and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table. Harry pulled one with Fred, and it went off like a cannon blast, surrounding them with blue smoke. He got a rear Admiral's hat and was shocked to see several live white mice emerge. I pulled one with George, and out of the explosive pink smoke, popped a black top hat with a rabbit in it. I offered the hat to George, but he placed it on my head.

Flaming Christmas puddings followed the turkey. Percy nearly broke his teeth on a silver sickle embedded in his slice. I watched Hagrid getting redder and redder in the face as he called for more wine, finally kissing Professor McGonagall on the cheek, who, to mine and Harry's amazement, giggled and blushed, her top hat lopsided.

When dinner was done, I had a handful of cracker prizes. The mice had disappeared, and I got the sense Mrs. Norris would be eating well tonight.

We then headed out on the lawn, and had "the Snowball Fight of the Century". Then, cold, wet, and gasping for breath, we returned to the fire in the Gryffindor common room, where Harry broke in his new chess set by losing spectacularly to Ron. We suspected he wouldn't have lost so badly if Percy hadn't tried to help him so much.

Supper was leftover turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle, and Christmas cake. While most of us were quite full and sleepy, I did have enough energy to giggle as the twins stole Percy's Prefect badge, and watch him chase them around the tower. It was one of the best Christmas I'd ever had.


	7. Fear Takes Over

Harry had admitted to an interesting discovery. Evidently, for Christmas, he'd been gifted an Invisibility Cloak. He took it out for a spin and in hiding from Filch, came across a mirror that seemed to show his family. Tonight, he was going again, and Ron and I were to go with him.

We tried retracing Harry's route from the library, wandering around the dark passageways for nearly an hour.

"I'm freezing," said Ron. "Let's forget it and go back. "

"No!" Harry hissed. I know it's here somewhere. "

We passed the ghost of a tall witch gliding in the opposite direction but saw no one else. Just as Ron started moaning that his feet were dead with cold, Harry spotted a suit of armor.

"It's here - just here - yes!"

Harry pushed the door open and dropped the cloak from around his shoulders, then ran to the mirror.

"See?" Harry whispered.

"I can't see anything. " Ron muttered.

"Look! Look at them all. . . there are loads of them. . . "

"I can only see you. " I objected.

"Look in it properly, go on, stand where I am. "

Harry stepped aside, but with Ron and me in front of the mirror, he couldn't see his family anymore, just us in our pajamas.

I peered in the mirror, not sure what I expected to see. I saw myself, and behind me were many people. I saw Remus, and Uncle Sirius, but there were two people I was sure were my parents and a man that looked an awful lot like Harry standing with his arm around a redhead. I was older and had a knowing look in my eye like I finally understood the Universe. The twins appeared, each looping an arm around me, and a little boy, with red hair and freckles, peeked out from behind my knee.

I wasn't sure what to think, but I knew I should leave. This mirror was dangerous, for even then I didn't want to leave. I wanted to spend the rest of my days watching my parents smiling at me, and Remus nudging Uncle Sirius in the ribs, a wide grin on his face.

Ron, though, was staring transfixed at his image.

"Look at me!" he said.

"Can you see all your family standing around you?"

"No - I'm alone - but I'm different - I look older - and I'm head boy!"

"What?"

"I am - I'm wearing the badge like Bill used to - and I'm holding the house cup and the Quidditch cup - I'm Quidditch captain, too. "

Ron tore his eyes away from this splendid sight to look excitedly at Harry.

"Do you think this mirror shows the future?"

"How can it? All my family are dead - let me have another look-"

"You had it to yourself all last night, give me a bit more time. "

"You're only holding the Quidditch cup, what's interesting about that? I want to see my parents."

"Don't push me-"

A sudden noise outside in the corridor put an end to their discussion. They hadn't realized how loudly they had been talking.

"Quick!"

Ron threw the cloak back over us as the luminous eyes of Mrs. Norris came round the door. We stood quite still, hoping she wouldn't hear us breathing. After what seemed an age, she turned and left.

"This isn't safe - she might have gone for Filch, I bet she heard us. Come on. "

Ron had to drag Harry as I tiptoed behind.

* * *

The Holidays were soon over, and it was back to classes, and back to Quidditch practice. On the twenty-first, the twins and I had popped a mandrake leaf in our mouths, excited to begin the transformation. Talking around it was a little awkward, as we didn't want anyone seeing it and guessing what we were doing.

Wood was working the Gryffindors hard, and even the rain that replaced the snow didn't dampen his enthusiasm. I came to every practice, though now that I understood the various positions, I was more of an observer. The Weasleys complained Wood was being a fanatic, and I was inclined to agree.

Then, during one particularly wet and muddy practice session, Wood gave the team a bit of bad news. He'd just gotten very angry with the twins, who kept dive-bombing each other and pretending to fall off their brooms.

"Will you stop messing around!" he yelled. "That's exactly the sort of thing that'll lose us the match! Snape's refereeing this time, and he'll be looking for any excuse to knock points off Gryffindor!"

George really did fall off his broom at these words. I rushed from my spot under the stands, where I had been hiding from the rain. "Are you ok?" I helped him back to his feet. "You didn't break anything did you?"

"Snape's refereeing?" he spluttered through a mouthful of mud, and I knew he was fine. "When's he ever refereed a Quidditch match? He's not going to be fair if we might overtake Slytherin."

The rest of the team landed next to George to complain, too.

"It's not my fault," said Wood. "We've just got to make sure we play a clean game, so Snape hasn't got an excuse to pick on us."

After practice, I headed for the twins. "George?"

"Yeah? What's up?"

"Are you ok? I mean you fell off your broom."

He waved it off as Fred snickered. "I'm fine. Just filthy." He glanced at me suddenly with a mischievous look in his eyes, and I took off running, hopping on my own broom as I fled. I could hear him shouting behind me, "Come back! I just want a hug!"

"No thanks!" I hollered back, leaning forward as I heard him closing on me. But his broom was no match for mine in speed, and I soon left him far behind as I zigged and zagged to change my direction. Only one problem, I realized as I finally slowed and paid better attention to where I was. I had flown into the Forbidden Forest, and I had no idea which way the castle was.

* * *

Supper would be starting soon, and I had no idea which way to go. I knew I had made too many turns to just about-face and walk, but with no better options, I chose a direction. I had my wand, and my broom, so I flew straight up, hoping to spot the castle or even the lake. But I had flown farther than I thought, and the sun was going down.

I knew the forest was East of the castle, so I turned to face the sun. It had set to an angle I was blinded, so I landed in the trees and began walking, wand at the ready. I could hear things moving in the trees, but dare not investigate. The sun was lowering fast, and it would soon be dark. The last thing I needed.

I had been walking for quite some time when the darkness set in, and with it the crippling fear. I shakily tried for a Lumos, but couldn't manage one due to my distraction. This made me begin to shake visibly. I found a vine nearby and made a harness to carry my broom over my shoulder, so I could have both hands free.

I finally decided I wasn't getting anywhere, and admitting that to myself triggered a panic attack. I fell with my back to an old oak tree. _I can't do this. I need to get- I need to get out of here._ Pulling my knees up to my chest, I started to hyperventilate, feeling my heart rate skyrocket. _Need to get out._ I tried to focus on my breathing, only for a sound to startle me and my eyes to jump around the darkness.

Exhausted, I curled tighter into myself, shivering with the cold. _Want to go home. Please, let me-_ My wand held tight in my frozen fingers, I twitched at every sound echoing through the trees. My breathing grew more ragged and rasping, and I couldn't even manage a wince at the noise I was making. _They're gonna come for me. The Dementors. I can't- I can't- Please. Help. Help. Please._

I jumped hard with a hoarse scream when I heard something stumble into the tree next to me. _No no no no no no. No, please. I gotta get out. Gotta- Please. No. Let me go home._ I didn't even register my thoughts tumbling out of my mouth. _Please, let me go home. I want home. I want Ray. Where's Ray. Please._

I screamed again when hands brushed my shoulder, and I went flying backward, my spine hitting a tree with a harsh thump. _I want Ray, I want Seer. Please no. Where is Seer? Please. Black spots danced before my eyes. Seer? Where is Ray? Please, no._

The hands moved away, and I could hear voices, my thoughts too frantic to make out real words. _Where is Seer? I want Ray. Get me out. Get me- Help me, please._ My mind spun, but the voices persisted. Soft, soothing whispers. I faintly registered my name. "-eo? Leo, can you hear me?"

The voice was familiar. "Please Kitty." _Where was I? Where were Ray and Seer?_ My vision started to clear, and I could make out two blobs, both vaguely human-shaped.

"Kitty, can you breath with me?" I jumped away again as one of them reached for me. _No no no, leave me alone._

"I'm not going to touch you, but you need to breathe for me. In- and out." The blob exaggerated his breathing as an example. I took in a shaky breath, coughing harshly in the middle. "That's it. Just breathe." My vision continued to clear, and I suddenly realized it was the twins who had found me. My chest, already tight with pain, squeezed. I gasped, and one of them reached out again but pulled back when I whimpered.

My breathing was slowly evening out, but I could not stop the trembling. I was shaking so hard I thought my teeth might rattle out of my head, and that made me gasp again. My breathing picked up just briefly. But I was managing to focus a little better and fought with my body to calm down.

"George? Fred?" I managed to croak.

"Oh, Leo!" One of them sighed with relief. "We are here, we found you. We need to get you back to the school."

"Can you walk?" Fred, I realized, asked. I shook my head. There was _no_ way my shaking body could walk back.

"Alright, I'm going to have to carry you, but not until you're ready, ok?" George spoke softly.

I nodded. Taking one more bracing breath, I reached out. George stepped closer, placing one arm around me and under my arms, the other just under my knees. I knew he could feel me shaking, and I hid my face in his neck. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." I muttered into his soft skin. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry-"

"Hey." Fred interrupted me. "You're safe now, that's all we care about. We were so worried when you didn't show up for dinner, and you weren't on the map. We tried the Room, but you weren't there either. It was George who thought to use a point-me spell."

"I'm sorry," I muttered again, too tired to formulate a better response.

The boys maintained a quiet, comforting presence as we headed back the direction they came from, my body still letting off random shudders. I lay my head on George's shoulder but was too wound up to properly fall asleep. Instead, I dozed and jerked awake at every twig snap and rustling leaf.

* * *

When we arrived at the castle George gave Fred a nod and then headed upstairs towards the dorms, Fred disappearing into the lower levels of the castle. He carried me straight to the Gryffindor dorms, gave the portrait of the fat lady the password, and stepped through the door.

Hermione, Ron, and Harry were seated at the fire and looked up in concern when we came in, but a shake of George's head kept them from asking questions.

George continued through the common room and carried me up to the third year boys dorm. He deposited me on the bed, only moving just far enough to shove Fred's bed closer. With the two beds side by side, we could easily all three fit. Luckily, Lee was out. I forced myself to crawl over to the middle of the beds, and George hopped in beside me as Fred reappeared, his arms full of goodies from the kitchen.

He handed me a mug of hot chocolate and climbed into the bed himself. Sensing I didn't have the energy to talk, they let me eat in silence, and I soon drifted off to sleep between them.


	8. Dungeons and Dragons

The day of the Quidditch match dawned, and I was nervous. I wasn't even playing, but the idea of Snape refereeing was concerning. I slipped into the locker room and patted Harry on the back.

"If he tries anything, I'll jinx him."

I had spent several days in the library, realizing I needed to step up if anyone was to take me seriously. A brief meeting with a few fourth-year Slytherins had shown that quite clearly.

_I was walking down the charms corridor towards the Great Hall, thinking about food when I bumped into them._

_"Watch it Black!" One of the five boys shouted._

_"_ Locomotor Mortis _." Another whispered._

_I barely dodged, but that seemed to be the trigger, as the rest of them began throwing hexes. I took off down the hall, but my dodging was in vain. I was hit by a spell that knocked me off my feet, and then they came too fast for me to get up._

_By the time they left, I was bleeding from my lip, my wrist ached, and had bruises everywhere. I managed to pry myself up off the floor, collecting my notes from where they spilled out of my bag. I limped to the Hospital Wing and crawled up into a bed._

I never told the twins.

Back in the locker room, Wood had taken Harry aside.

"Don't want to pressure you, Potter, but if we ever need an early capture of the Snitch it's now. Finish the game before Snape can favor Hufflepuff too much. "

"The whole school's out there!" said Fred, peering out of the door. "Even - blimey - Dumbledore's come to watch!"

"Dumbledore?" Harry said, dashing to the door to make sure. Fred was right. There was no mistaking that silver beard.

* * *

I watched helplessly as Snape awarded Hufflepuff a penalty, for George hitting a bludger in his general direction. He seemed to be awarding penalties for no reason at all. I knew Snape was biased against Gryffindors, but this was ridiculous.

It was only a few more minutes into the game when Harry obviously spotted something. He dove towards the ground. Up in the air, Snape turned on his broomstick just in time to see a whoosh of scarlet as Harry flew past, missing him by inches- his face turned white- the next second, Harry pulled up out of his dive, waving the snitch triumphantly.

The stands went crazy, and I cheered loudly. I turned to look for Ron and Hermione, to find Ron in some sort of scuffle, and Hermione was oblivious. I decided better to stay out of it, and went down to the pitch to congratulate my boys. I mean really, that had to be some sort of record, the game only lasted five minutes.

The twins had smuggled cakes and other foodstuffs from the kitchens and were throwing a party in the Gryffindor common room, but I was so tired I fell asleep on the couch.

* * *

I don't believe I've ever seen so much homework! The Easter holidays seemed more like extended study time than anything, and Hermione could frequently be spotted practicing her wand movements, muttering the pronunciation under her breath. I was helping Harry look up 'Dittany' in the library, and listening to Ron moan about being stuck inside with the finally gorgeous weather outside, when he burst out, "Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"

I glanced up, narrowing my eyes as Hagrid shuffled into view, trying to hide a book behind himself.

"Jus' lookin'," he said in a shifty voice. "An' what're you lot up ter? Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?" I glanced at the others curiously, but it was clear they didn't want to explain.

"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago," said Ron impressively. "And we know what that dog's guarding, it's a Sorcerer's St-"

"Shhhh!" Hagrid looked around quickly to see if anyone was listening. "Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?"

"There are a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact," said Harry, "about what's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy-"

"SHHHH!" said Hagrid again. "Listen - come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind, but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'posed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh-"

"See you later, then," said Harry.

Hagrid shuffled off.

"What was he hiding behind his back?" said Hermione thoughtfully.

"Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?"

"I'm going to see what section he was in," said Ron, who'd had enough of working. He came back a minute later with a pile of books in his arms and slammed them down on the table.

"Dragons!" he whispered. "Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons! Look at these: Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland; From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide. "

"Dragons," I muttered. "Of course it would be."

"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him, " said Harry.

"But it's against our laws," said Ron. "Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks' Convention of 1709, everyone knows that. It's hard to stop Muggles from noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden - anyway, you can't tame dragons, it's dangerous. You should see the burns Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania. "

"But there aren't wild dragons in Britain ?" said Harry.

"Of course there are," said Ron. "Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a job hushing them up, I can tell you. Our kind have to keep putting spells on Muggles who've spotted them, to make them forget. "

"So what on earth's Hagrid up to?" said Hermione.

I decided to go with the trio, in spite of their desire to keep me in the dark about this Fluffy business, and whoever Nicolas Flamel was. Hagrid was acting shifty, and I'd hate to see the gentle giant in trouble.

* * *

When we knocked on the door of the gamekeeper's hut an hour later, we were surprised to see that all the curtains were closed. Hagrid called "Who is it?" before he let us in, and then shut the door quickly behind us.

It was stifling hot inside. Even though it was such a warm day, there was a blazing fire in the grate. Hagrid made tea and offered stoat sandwiches, which we kindly refused.

"So - yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?"

"Yes," said Harry. There was no point beating around the bush. "We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Sorcerer's Stone apart from Fluffy. "

Hagrid frowned at him as I sighed. I _would_ get an explanation later. I'll pressure Ron. He seems the easiest to crack, especially since I can threaten to set the twins on him.

"O' course I can't," he said. "Number one, I don' know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That Stone's here fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts - I s'ppose yeh've worked that out an' all? Beats me how yeh even know abou' Fluffy. "

"Oh, come on, Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you do know, you know everything that goes on around here," said Hermione in a warm, flattering voice. Hagrid's beard twitched and they could tell he was smiling. "We only wondered who had done the guarding, really. " Hermione went on. "We wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him, apart from you. "

Hagrid's chest swelled at these last words. Harry and Ron beamed at Hermione. I rolled my eyes at her rather obvious flattery, but Hagrid didn't seem to notice.

"Well, I don' s'pose it could hurt ter tell yeh that. . . let's see. . . he borrowed Fluffy from me. . . then some o' the teachers did enchantments. . . Professor Sprout - Professor Flitwick - Professor McGonagall - " he ticked them off on his fingers, "Professor Quirrell - an' Dumbledore himself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape. "

"Snape?"

"Yeah - yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped protect the Stone, he's not about ter steal it. "

The trio across from me all had knowing looks on their faces.

"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy. aren't you, Hagrid?" said Harry anxiously. "And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?"

"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore," said Hagrid proudly.

"Well, that's something," Harry muttered to the others. "Hagrid, can we have a window open? I'm boiling. "

"Can't, Harry, sorry," said Hagrid. I noticed him glance at the fire. Harry looked at it, too.

"Hagrid - what's that ?"

But we already knew what it was. In the very heart of the fire, underneath the kettle, was a huge, black egg.

"Ah," said Hagrid, fiddling nervously with his beard, "That's - er. . . "

"Where did you get it, Hagrid?" said Ron, crouching over the fire to get a closer look at the egg. "It must've cost you a fortune. "

"Won it," said Hagrid. "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest. "

"But what are you going to do with it when it's hatched?" said Hermione.

"Well, I've bin doin' some readin'," said Hagrid, pulling a large book from under his pillow. "Got this outta the library - Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit - it's a bit outta date, o' course, but it's all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, 'cause their mothers breathe on I em, see, an' when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o' brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. An' see here - how ter recognize diff'rent eggs - what I got there's a Norwegian Ridgeback. They're rare, them. "

He looked very pleased with himself, but Hermione didn't.

"Hagrid, you live in a wooden house," she said. I nodded.

But Hagrid wasn't listening. He was humming merrily as he stoked the fire.

So now we had something else to worry about: what might happen to Hagrid if anyone found out he was hiding an illegal dragon in his hut.

* * *

It was on the walk back towards the castle that I kept pace with Ron.

"Alright, what's going on? What stone are you all yapping about, and who's Fluffy? You better tell me the truth, or the twins will hear about this."

He crumbled right away. Told me about the duel Harry had gotten roped into, running from Filch, the third floor and the three-headed dog in it, and the philosopher's stone. He explained their theory about Snape letting in the troll on Halloween, and I was shocked. I got sent to the hospital wing because of that thing. I needed to think about this, but I was late for a meeting with the twins. There was a lightning storm on its way, and we had a potion to make.


	9. The Change

I wandered around in front of the Gryffindor dorms, waiting on the twins. It would be just like them to forget about the lightning storm. I had made sure they cast the charm every day, or they would have had to start over.

Just as I was about to give up and find a Gryffindor with the password, the twins barreled out the portrait hole with matching grins.

"Do I want to know?"

"Nah. Just wait until breakfast, and keep an eye on the little slimeball Malfoy."

"Alrighty, then Fred. Are you boys ready?"

With a nod, the three of us set out for the Room, as I had taken to calling it. The potion was brewing quietly in the corner, small bubbles popping as they reached the top.

George, who was the first in the room, ladled the brew into three small cups, passing them to us. We each added our mandrake leaf to our cups, a faint hiss rising. And then it was down the hatch.

Tipping my cup back swiftly, I shuddered as the flavor of burnt sweaty socks hit my tongue. But the taste was swiftly the last thing on my mind as my eyes widened.

My senses seemed to widen and deepen, and suddenly I could hear harsh breathing. It took me a moment to realize the breathing was mine. I turned to the boys to see they were both grinning madly.

"It's working!" Cheered George.

I quickly knelt down, wanting to try to transform. "Let's do it."

The twins nodded, joining me, and we each wrapped our focus up in the change.

If there was a moment where your concentration slipped during this first try you could get stuck halfway.

Closing my eyes, I concentrated. There was a tingly shiver that washed over me, and I opened my eyes. My vision was sharper, and my hearing heightened. I glanced down at my hands and started. Where once there was pale skin, there was tan fur. My nails had become claws, and as I looked around, I could tell I was much shorter.

I asked the Room for a mirror. The far wall rippled into a silver sheen. I stood before the mirror, admiring myself.

The spots in my fur, the fangs peeking out of my muzzle. It is then that I remembered the twins.

I turned to them, and instead of orange hair and teasing smiles, a laughing hyena, and a grinning coyote stood in their place. I laughed, but a deep rumbling purr came out instead. Transforming back, I sat up.

"We should go outside." I grinned.

The boys nodded as they focused on reversing the transformation. As soon as they were back in human form, we headed down to the grounds. I knew of a little bend around the forbidden forest where we wouldn't be seen.

* * *

Once we were out of sight from the castle, we ducked further into the trees, before pausing in a glade.

"Here's good," Fred commented.

We all knelt again, transforming. Again it was like a tingling sensation poured over me, and as soon as I was done I flexed my paws. I leaned into a long stretch, then turned to the twins, who were also shaking out their limbs.

My grin was feral, my fangs gleaming in the leaf dappled light. I leaped at George. How he managed a stunned look as a coyote, I don't know. We rolled across the forest floor, wrestling, and just as we paused for air, Fred pounced on us both.

His cackling laughter echoed slightly, but we didn't fear being caught.

The three of us wrestled and romped through the woods for hours before we noticed the sun going down in the distance. I tilted my head back towards the school, my heightened senses making it much easier to tell the direction. The boys gave me a look that begged for more time, but I shook my head. We had probably already missed dinner, and who knew what Harry, Ron, and Hermione had gotten into while we were gone.

* * *

It turned out things _had_ happened while we were gone.

Hagrid's egg had hatched, and Malfoy had _seen._

The little ferret was ever so smug whenever he saw them, and we spent a week trying to convince Hagrid to get rid of it.

"Just let him go," Harry urged. "Set him free."

"I can't," said Hagrid. "He's too little. He'd die."

The dragon, Norbert, as Hagrid named him, had grown three times in length in the week since his hatching. Smoke kept furling from his nostrils. Hagrid hadn't been keeping up with his gamekeeping duties because he was so busy with Norbert. There were empty brandy bottles and chicken feathers all over the floor.

Hagrid was finally convinced that Norbert couldn't stay, Malfoy would say something. Ron agreed to send his brother Charlie an owl, as Charlie worked with wild dragons.

* * *

I didn't allow myself to get dragged into feeding the beast or helping Hagrid with chores. That was a step too far in the direction of getting easily caught. Especially since Ron got himself bit.

Charlie's answer came quickly. He would take the dragon, but we would have to sneak him out. Several of Charlie's friends would arrive on brooms next week. We just had to smuggle him up to the astronomy tower at midnight on Saturday.

It was decided that Harry and Hermione would carry him up under the invisibility cloak. Ron couldn't carry anything with his hand swollen. By the next morning, it was twice its normal size. I insisted he go see Madam Pomfrey.

"She needs to know you've been bit, it looks like Norbert is poisonous."

We shuffled him down the corridor and stood out in the hallway until he was free to talk again. We were watching, suspicious, as Malfoy hurried past us, before reemerging with a book.

My exasperation level went through the roof when Ron moaned, "Charlie's letter is in the book Malfoy took, he's going to know we're getting rid of Norbert."

"Really? Why didn't you burn the thing?" But he couldn't answer as Madam Pomfrey kicked us out.

* * *

"It's too late to change the plan now. We haven't got time to send Charlie another letter. You've got the cloak, just be careful when you come back down to stay under it."

Harry nodded, and he and Hermione left me to go tell Hagrid the plan.

* * *

When I woke the morning after the dragon escapade, I glared at the hourglasses on the wall. Gryffindor had lost one hundred and fifty points overnight. No need to guess why.

"You got caught," I said flatly as I grabbed a muffin from the red and gold table.

"Leo..." Harry began.

I didn't look at them, continuing to set up my plate. "I don't want to know, leave me out of it. Did _he_ leave?"

"Yeah, he got out before."

"Fine." And I left. I got up and walked away, taking another muffin with me. Idiots, the pair of them.


	10. Courage and Smarts Save the Day

Harry couldn't sit down. He paced up and down in front of the fire. He was still shaking. The trio had called me over by owl, and when the perturbed animal tapped at my bedroom window I sighed. The note read that I should 'head for the Gryffindor common room immediately', and they filled me in on Harry and Hermione's detention. As well as the conversation they heard between Snape and Quirrell.

"Snape wants the stone for Voldemort. . . And Voldemort's waiting in the forest. . . And all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich. . . " Harry muttered.

"Stop saying the name!" said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he thought Voldemort could hear us.

Harry wasn't listening.

"Firenze saved me, but he shouldn't have done so. . . Bane was furious. . . he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen. . . They must show that Voldemort's coming back. . . Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me. . . I suppose that's written in the stars as well. "

"Will you stop saying the name!" Ron hissed.

"So all I've got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone," Harry went on feverishly, "then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off. . . Well, I suppose Bane'll be happy. "

Hermione looked very frightened, but she had a word of comfort.

"Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of, with Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic. "

The sky had turned light before they stopped talking. I had nothing helpful to add. We went to bed exhausted, the three of their throats sore. But the night's surprises weren't over.

When Harry pulled back his sheets, he found his invisibility cloak folded neatly underneath them. There was a note pinned to it:

_Just in case._

* * *

Exams came up soon. It was sweltering hot, especially in the large classroom where we did written papers. We had been given special, new quills for the exams, which had been bewitched with an Anticheating spell.

We had practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick called us one by one into his class to see if we could make a pineapple tapdance across a desk. I may have overdone it with the transfigured tutu. Professor McGonagall watched us turn a mouse into a snuffbox - points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was but taken away if it had whiskers. I made mine royal purple with copper fastenings. Snape made us all nervous, breathing down our necks while we tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness potion. I think I did alright, though I don't recall much. Our very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented self-stirring cauldrons and we'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until our exam results came out.

* * *

"That was far easier than I thought it would be," said Hermione as we joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds. "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager. "

Hermione always liked to go through the exam papers afterward, but Ron said this made him feel ill, so we wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of the giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows. I decided to join them. I waved my wand and feathers shot out but didn't quite go where I intended.

All three boys fell to the ground laughing hysterically, rolling to get away from the twitching feathers.

"Sorry." I shrugged sheepishly. They waved me off, though Lee made the suggestion of chasing me with feathers of their own. The twins seemed to consider it, then remembered the last time I ran away into the forest from a joke. They shook their heads and Lee pouted, but only for a moment.

"So how do you think you did?" George poked my side.

"Eh." I wobbled my hand. "I don't remember how I did on my Forgetfulness potion, I think I did okay on the others."

Fred cackled. "You must have dripped your potion stir spoon on yourself. I'd say you did well."

My face heated up. "I didn't think of that."

George reach over and ruffled my hair. "Of course not. I don't know what traits the hat chose for House Black, but I'm sure smarts wasn't one of them." His wink softened his words, but I still took the opportunity to take offense.

"George! How dare you say such a thing! Fred, tell George I'm never speaking to him again."

Fred dutifully turned with a smirk on his face. "George, Leo is never speaking to you again."

George rolled his eyes, and I took that as a challenge. From that point on I wouldn't speak to or even acknowledge George until he begged.

* * *

After a few hours, George had realized I was serious and tried all kinds of things to trick me into talking to him, but I wouldn't even look in his direction. Turning instead to Fred and saying things like, "The wind sure is howling today."

Fred, of course, thought this was hilarious and would warn me when his twin was sneaking up, lest I shout at him in surprise.

* * *

It wasn't until the next morning when I realized the young Gryffindor trio had done something stupid. Really stupid. They had gone into the third-floor corridor alone. I had gone straight to the headmaster's office to shout and squawk my protest. It was dangerous! They could have all died! Why did no one stop them?!

Dumbledore endured my ranting with an amused smile, before telling me I should get the true story of it from my friends.

* * *

Ron began telling the tale even as we walked down to the hospital wing to visit Harry. How they thought Snape had gone for the Stone and found Fluffy lulled to sleep by an enchanted harp. How they had jumped down a trap door only to be entrapped by Devil's Snare. Once they had freed themselves, Harry had chased a flying key on a rickety old broom, and through the locked door was a massive Wizard's Chess set.

Ron's dramatic telling of how he sacrificed himself to get the others across honestly frightened me. These guys had no sense of self-preservation.

Then Hermione took over the story. She and Harry had been faced with a riddle, and clever girl, of course, she solved it. But only one could go forward, so she had sent Harry on ahead, and she ran back to fetch help.

By this point, we had arrived at the hospital wing and were allowed to see Harry, "So long as you don't work him up. This poor boy needs rest!"

I fixed Harry with a stern look, but it quickly crumbled into laughter at his sheepish face.

"Come on then, I've heard these two's side, what happened after Hermione went for help?"

And so Harry recounted how it wasn't Snape after all. It wasn't even Voldemort. Not completely anyway. It was Quirrell. The professor had Voldemort's consciousness attached to the back of his skull, hidden under his garlic stuffed turban all along.

Quirrell had jinxed Harry's broom at the first Quidditch match, and let the troll in on Halloween.

But Dumbledore had the brilliant idea of using the Mirror of Erised as the final obstacle.

Harry explained the old wizard had already been in this morning. Apparently, only one who wanted to find the Stone, but not use it, would be granted access to it.

Quirrell had tried to choke Harry, to convince him to give up the Stone's location, but had reeled back as if burned. But Voldemort was insistent. Told him to kill Harry.

Harry explained that he knew if he wanted to stay alive, he must keep tight hold of Quirrell, burn him so as not to let him spout off a curse... And then everything went black for a moment.

When his vision returned, Dumbledore was there. He had explained to Harry that a mother's love was the most powerful magic, and poor Lily Potter, in sacrificing herself for her son, placed a protection charm on him so strong it defeated Voldemort.

Mister Nicolas Flamel had agreed that the Stone be destroyed, Voldemort was cast from Quirrell's body into who knows where, and all was well. For now...

Madam Pomfrey appeared and threw us out, but Harry said he'd be down for the end-of-the-year feast.

* * *

The Great Hall was absolutely swimming in silver and green that night. A massive banner with a coiled snake hung behind the head table. A hush fell over the students when Harry walked in, and I rolled my eyes as the whispers returned ten-fold. I waved at the poor boy when he caught my eye, and it seemed to cheer him up as he sat between Ron and Hermione.

Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived, and the babble died away.

"Another year has gone!" The great wizard announced, as though we hadn't noticed. "And I must trouble you all with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into this delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully, your heads are all a little fuller than they were... You have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts.

"Now as I understand it, the House Cup needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fifth place, Black, with two hundred and seven points; in fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six, and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two."

A storm of cheers and stamping broke out at the Slytherin table. Cousin Draco was banging his goblet on the table.

"Yes, yes. Well done Slytherin." Said Dumbledore. "However, recent events _must_ be taken into account."

The room went deadly still. Smiles at the green table dimmed a little.

"Ahem," Dumbledore continued. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see... Yes. First, to Miss Leo Black, for incredible loyalty and support of her friends in adversity... I award House Black fifty points."

I turned bright red as everyone turned to look at me, the twins sending beaming smiles. Even George, who I still hadn't spoken to in three days now.

"Second," Dumbledore wasn't done. "To Mister Ronald Weasley, for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor House fifty points."

Gryffindor cheers seem to shake the bewitched ceiling, and Percy Weasley could be heard bragging to the other prefects how his brother beat McGonagall's chess set. Finally, the cheers died down some.

"Thirdly, to Miss Hermione Granger, for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Hermione buried her face in her arms. I could imagine she might have burst into tears. The Gryffindors were up one hundred points.

"Fourth. To Mister Harry Potter." The room became hushed again. "For pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."

The din was deafening. Gryffindor was _tied_ with Slytherin!

Dumbledore raised his arms for quiet. "There are all kinds of courage. It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I, therefore, award ten points to Mister Neville Longbottom."

Neville, white with shock, was buried under a pile of Gryffindors, shouting and cheering so loud you might have thought a bomb went off. He'd never so much as one a single point, and here he was, the tipping point.

Draco couldn't have looked more stunned and horrified if he'd been cursed.

I clapped for my friends and turned back to the podium as Dumbledore finished. "Which means, we need a little change of decoration."

He clapped his hands, and the green hangings became scarlet, the silver turned to gold. The huge serpent disappeared and a roaring lion took its place. Snape was shaking McGonagall's hand with a horrible, forced smile.

* * *

I was surprised when my exam results came in. While Hermione was top student overall, I had the top score in Charms.

Apparently, my tutu-ed pineapple made Flitwick and McGonagall laugh. This also boosted my score in Transfiguration. Overall good marks.

Then suddenly the trunks were packed and we were standing in Hogsmeade Station, loading up on the train.

George was staring at me sadly as I piled my trunk into the overhead rack.

Fred was whining about the paper we'd been handed instructing no magic over the summer.

"Oh, it's probably for safety reasons Freddy." I consoled. "Not that that has ever stopped you, but still..."

George couldn't take it anymore. "Kitty, _please!_ Please say something, anything!"

"What do you want me to say?" I asked teasingly.

"Anything! Just talk to me, I _mi-_ " And then it hit him, I spoke. "Kitty!" He tackled me in a hug.

* * *

All good things must come to an end, and we arrived at the platform faster than I hoped.

The twins pulled me over to meet the Weasley matriarch. She was a lovely woman and insisted that at some point over the summer I must visit.

Then Remus arrived, and the pair of adults gave a nod, like they had met before, but didn't want to speak. I frowned and determined to ask later.

For now, I was going home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it! Philosopher's Stone is done.

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my Madness all! I hope you enjoy.


End file.
